The republican dissident organisation the Continuity IRA has branded the award of 2013's UK city of culture to Derry as a means of shoring up British rule.

In its message to mark the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising, the CIRA and its political ally Republican Sinn Féin criticised the move, linking it with the Queen's visit to the Republic last year as part of what they said was the normalisation of partition.

Derry's UK City of Culture 2013 office in Northern Ireland's second city has been attacked at least twice with explosive devices by the Real IRA, another republican faction, over the last 12 months.

Although a majority in the city, including the main nationalist parties Sinn Féin and the SDLP, support the award, dissident republicans have been trying to exploit the UK connection to it as a cultural expression of the union with Britain.

The statement issued in Dublin on Thursday said: "The state visit by the British monarch to the 26 Counties in the past year – the first such in 100 years – was intended to normalise British rule in Ireland and put the seal on the current sell-out of the Six Counties to England. Republican Sinn Féin's protests on that occasion delivered a clear message.

"Empty streets in Dublin and carefully selected audiences elsewhere showed the performance to be a failure. Yet the establishment persists in calling it a 'success'. But the reality was on the ground – and at a cost of €38m for security.

"Then in February the GAA [Gaelic Athletic Association] sold out its independence and the ideals of its founders when it accepted a massive amount of English money — £61m in sterling or €77m euro – to develop Casement Park in Belfast. Roger Casement got the English hangman's rope but those who use his name allow themselves to be exploited by Stormont just as others contribute to the city of Derry – historic Doire Cholm Cille – being the British 'City of Culture' in 2013. Those who pay the piper undoubtedly call the tune!"

Anti-ceasefire republicans, particularly in the Irish Republic, have been weakened by splits and divisions over the last few years. In its communiqué, the CIRA appears to acknowledge the existence of a breakaway faction south of the border.

"The good name of the republican movement, valid since 1986, is under attack again. Criminality masquerades as republicanism and confuses the Irish people. The name of Republican Sinn Féin and of the Continuity IRA have even been stolen by a minuscule local grouping in its reckless attempt to bewilder further those who stand for the full freedom of Ireland."

The hardline republican organisation claimed there was a publicity blackout over republican prisoners inside Maghaberry top security prison who are on a "no wash" protest inside the jail against strip searches and other security measures including full body scanner searches on inmates' families.

It also criticised moves to allow members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland to serve south of the border with the Irish police force, Garda Siochana.

"A further step has been taken to integrate the 26-County state forces into the British war machine with the announcement that RUC soldiers are now suitable to join the ranks of the 26-County police even up to top level. These new arrangements will bring the British forces back south of the border 90 years after they were driven out by the men and women we honour today."

• This article was amended on 5 April 2012. Due to an error in the editing process, the original suggested that Sinn Féin, rather than Republican Sinn Féin, was an ally of the CIRA. This has been corrected.